Approval rates
Comparing a judge's history to broader benchmarks provides context for your upcoming hearing. While Judge Brennan's lifetime approval rate stands at 51%, recent data shows a 62% approval rate in the latest reporting period. This is compared to a 64% approval rate for the Billings office and a 58% national average. These figures are derived from a significant docket of 26,044 lifetime decisions, offering a stable view of past trends. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
Office- and national-level breakdowns of fully favorable vs denial rates aren't currently published by SSA in the per-office disposition data. The judge's own breakdown is the detail we have today.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Brennan's docket. Annual rates fluctuate with the mix of cases SSA assigns; the longer-run pattern is more informative than any single year.
Decision pattern
Over 10 years on the bench, Judge Brennan has maintained a consistent approach to disability claims. The yearly trend shows a gradual increase in approval rates, moving from the mid-40s in earlier years to 63% in the most recent reporting period. This shift suggests a potential change in case mix or evolving evidentiary standards. The latest period reflects a continuation of this upward trend, signaling a more favorable environment for your claim than in previous years.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Brennan's bench. Judge-specific preparation guidance requires a corpus of public Appeals Council decisions involving each judge, which we haven't built yet.
- Bring a clean treating-physician record. Longitudinal primary-care or specialist notes spanning the disability period, with consistent symptom documentation, are typically the strongest evidence at hearing. A single month's records usually aren't enough.
- Don't rely on consultative exams alone. If your medical evidence is built primarily around a one-time CE finding, expect detailed questioning. Supplement with treating-source statements where possible.
- Prepare for daily-activity questions. Have honest, specific answers about a typical day. Answers that conflict with the medical record (in either direction) tend to hurt credibility.
- Expect transferable-skills probing. A vocational expert will usually testify about jobs available to someone with your limitations. Your representative should be prepared to cross-examine.
Hearing with Judge Brennan? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Free Benefits ReviewAbout the Billings hearing office
The Billings Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Montana and the surrounding region. With a team of 6 judges, the office manages a high volume of disability appeals to ensure timely access to justice. The office currently maintains a 64% approval rate, reflecting the local standards for evidence and disability determination. You can visit the Billings Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Other judges at this hearing office
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning your judge is selected randomly. Within the Billings office, individual lifetime approval rates among the 6 judges range from 31% to 69%. This variance highlights why it is important to focus on the strength of your own medical evidence regardless of who presides. For preparation purposes, the guidance remains consistent regardless of which judge you are assigned.
Your odds change dramatically with a lawyer
SSDI hearing approval rates — represented vs. on your own
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.